Exercise equipment that won't break your bank account.
These five simple pieces of workout gear, recommended by Melissa Nickas, a private trainer at The Sports Club/LA-San Francisco, are all you need to complete your home gym. The best part? Each is less than $50.
Foam Roller for Flexibility
A roller (Gaiam Stretch & Strength Foam Roller Kit, $20) can loosen tight muscles, improve circulation and prevent injury, Nickas says. You can roll (just move back and forth while sitting or lyingon top of the roller) your glutes, illiotibial (IT) bands located on the sides of your thighs, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves to relieve sore spots and get limber.
Stability Ball for Strength
This tool may bring to mind abdominal agony, but a stability ball (GoFit Core Stability Ball, $29.99) is truly a total body toner and an excellent balance booster, since your muscles have to work extra hard to keep the ball steady. To find the right size, sit on an inflated ball: your thighs should be parallel to the ground.
Heart Rate Monitor to Drop Pounds
“The Polar FT1 Heart Rate Monitor ($50) tells you the number of calories from fat you’ve burned, and more importantly, helps you learn what works best for the improvement of your all-around cardiovascular health,” Nickas says.
Resistance Bands for Sculpting
Not only are resistance bands ace at building muscle, they also increase range of motion because they allow movement through different planes, helping you stay not only fit but flexible, too. Nickas likes the SPRI PRX-R Pumping Rubber Workout Kit ($25) , which includes light, medium and heavy tubes.
Medicine Ball to Add Oomph
A medicine ball (Danskin 8-pound toning ball, $20) can be used in conjunction with ab work, squats and even push-ups to make each exercise more challenging for muscles and better for burning calories and building balance. Just tossing the ball back and forth with a partner is great for core and upper body strength
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Exercise equipment that won't break your bank account.
These five simple pieces of workout gear, recommended by Melissa Nickas, a private trainer at The Sports Club/LA-San Francisco, are all you need to complete your home gym. The best part? Each is less than $50.
